British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday prepared to open a debate in the House of Commons on her Brexit deal, setting the stage for a showdown with MPs across party lines opposed to the proposals on offer.
The marathon debate is set to last five days before a crunch vote on the Withdrawal Agreement struck with the European Union on December 11. An embattled May has been combatting pressure from different sides of the House, including the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up her Conservative Party government by providing crucial 10 MPs for a majority in the Commons. The deal negotiated by her and the EU has to be backed by a majority of MPs if it is to come into force.
While the prospects of it passing through Parliament remain in doubt, the government faced a rare a contempt-of-Parliament challenge over its decision not to release the full legal advice on the Brexit deal.
